Adventure Cycling Association map Great Parks Route South Section 1

Map Features Adventure Cycling Association developed the best cross country, loop, coastal and inland cycling routes available, with turn by turn directions, detailed navigational instructions for the tricky sections, and elevation profiles in the high country. The maps are also waterproof and sized to fit in a handlebar bag window or jersey pocket. ADVENTURE CYCLE MAP INCLUDE: Service symbols indicating the locations of campgrounds, hostels, motels, gas stations, groceries, restaurants, post offices, and bike shops Narratives with turn by turn instructions for traveling in either direction Distances given in miles and kilometers Contour lines providing a general idea of elevation gains and losses Elevation profiles in mountainous regions with major ascents and descents indicated Details about the natural history and cultural heritage along the route A weather chart providing average monthly rainfall and mean temperatures at various points along the route Large scale detail maps of urban or congested areas Summaries of riding conditions to provide information on road surfaces, traffic volumes, and areas of caution Our Online Addenda, where updates are always available and current These routes are available to you in 300 to 400 mile map sections, so you can plan anything from a weekend trip to a multi month adventure. Our routes feature the backroads of America where you can experience the communities and rural landscapes that make our country unique. We want you to see a rural America that can't be seen from the freeways. Our generous members and supporters are helping to create and maintain our legacy and gift to the nation the Adventure Cycling Route Network. THE FINER DETAILS OF ADVENTURE CYCLING MAPS Adventure Cycling Association maps are divided in a dozen 40 60 miles sections 12 a day to 1 day biking, this is an example of one of those section: Bi directional Narratives: Narratives have detailed turn by turn instructions for traveling in either direction. The number preceding each directive indicates the distance you've come since the beginning of the map panel at the matchline. The number following in parentheses is the distance in kilometers. Changes in road names and numbers are marked by stars both in the narrative and on the map panel. Locator Box: The locator box gives an idea of your progress on the map section. For an overview of the route, the Index Map shows a larger scale version of the route's location. Matchlines: Matchlines are solid pink lines on each end of the map panel intersecting the route. The narrative leads you from matchline to matchline. Once you reach the matchline, turn to the next map panel and begin following its narrative, again proceeding from the near matchline to the far matchline. Service Symbols: Symbols correspond with the service information on the text side of the map, and tell bicyclists what sort of services they will encounter along the route. These include campgrounds, bike shops, grocery stores, libraries, restaurants, post offices, hostels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and hotels. Elevation Profiles: Elevation profiles indicate major ascents and descents. On the Lewis Clark Trail maps as shown here, the profile is attached to each map panel. On other maps, in the mountainous regions of the country, the profile appears in one continuous panel on the text side of the map. Not all map sections have elevation profiles. North Arrow: The north arrow is not necessarily up as it is on most maps, and it changes orientation from panel to panel. This allows as many miles of the route as possible to be depicted on each map panel. End Mileages: The mileage to either end of the route section is shown at the border of each map panel. Annual Events and Points of Interest: For your information, selected museums, points of interest, and events are included, where space allows, on the map panels. Museums have a brief description of their exhibits. Annual events have a brief description and the time of year they occur. Great Parks Route Jasper, AB, to Durango, CO 7 map set 2,518.5 mi. GREAT PARKS NORTH Even in the height of summer, cyclists must be prepared for cold nights and occasional snow in the higher elevations. The Canadian parks, with their wide road shoulders, provide excellent cycling conditions, though motorized traffic during the tourist season is heavy. Towns outside the parks, such as Fernie, British Columbia, offer information and ample opportunities for the off road cycling enthusiast. Fascinating side trips abound for natural and geological sightseeing, which include aerial trams, hiking onto glaciers, and whitewater rafting. So, allow extra time beyond bicycling for these activities. This route should be ridden from early summer to mid fall. Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier National Park is usually closed until early June and has limited hours for cyclists. Note that snow can occur at any time during the summer in the Rocky Mountains. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns. The route begins in Jasper, Alberta, a busy tourist center in the heart of Jasper National Park, one of the five Canadian Parks the route traverses. You will be amazed by the scenery: glacial lakes, dramatic waterfalls, piercingly steep mountains covered with glaciers, and a tremendous variety of wildlife you will stop frequent just to marvel at the beauty. Be sure to ride cautiously among the tourists in recreational vehicles. As you head south, over several passes through the parks, take the time to go to Lake Louise and Banff, which both offer a wide variety of tourist services and charm. After 230 miles of amazing vistas, you'll leave Kootenay National Park and descend steeply into the town of Radium Hot Springs. Stop for an enjoyable soak in the soothing hot mineral pools. From Radium Hot Springs southward to Elko, the western side of the Rockies offers gentler cycling following the Columbia and Kootenay river systems. At Elko, the route turns east over the Continental Divide through a series of small mining communities. You'll see the prairies begin on the eastern slope and traverse the foothills through Waterton Lakes National Park, another mountain jewel of the Canadian Parks. The border crossing into the United States at Chief Mountain is only open from mid May through mid September, and then you're in Glacier National Park in Montana, crossing the Divide back to the western side on the spectacular Going to the Sun Highway. You'll find no major climbs or descents after leaving the park, and the route mainly follows river valleys bracketed by mountain ranges all the way into Missoula. Terrain The northern portion of the route is a series of climbsdescents over passes into various river valleys. In the south, you'll stay in the valleys and experience a more rolling terrain. The route crosses the Continental Divide three times. Logistics To begin this route, Jasper can be reached by rail service from Edmonton, Alberta. Along its entire length, small towns at regular intervals provide ample services, but plan ahead due to crowded tourist conditions, especially in the Canadian Park System and in Glacier National Park. Reservations at both hostels and campgrounds are recommended. For off road bicycling and primitive camping, a water purifier is necessary. GREAT PARKS SOUTH The cyclist is rewarded by a continuous setting of dramatic mountain scenery, national forests, parks, monuments, and many climbs and descents over passes. Off road mountain biking opportunities abound at the various ski hills along the route, which offer singletrack riding on quiet forest trails, serviced by bustling tourist villages. This route can be ridden from early summer to mid fall. Trail Ridge Road is closed between October and June. Note that snow can occur at any time during the summer in the Rocky Mountains. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns. Altitude sickness can slow you down, so preparation for the high altitude is important. Arriving a few days before your trip begins is a good way to acclimate. The route begins in northern Colorado in the ski town of Steamboat Springs. After a gut busting climb out of Steamboat Springs to Rabbit Ears Pass, you'll find open grazing land and national forest lands heading into Kremmling. There is heavy summer tourist activity from Hot Sulpher Springs to Granby, the southern entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Traffic is heavy throughout the park, and the terrain is extreme. From Estes Park to Georgetown, this area is the playground for Denver, the surrounding communities on the Front Range and also much of the nation. Communities from Keystone to Breckenridge have become major year round tourist destinations, so be prepared for traffic and recreational vehicles. South of Fairplay, the route becomes more rural and traverses the high, open land of South Park. After crossing Trout Creek Pass, the route drops into the Arkansas River Valley near Buena Vista. The western slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains is old mining country, from Salida all the way into Durango. Around Dolores, the mountains give way to the dry, open Four Corners region, highlighted by Mesa Verde National Park. Durango is the southern terminus of the historic Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, the only remaining regularly scheduled narrow gauge passenger train. Terrain On this route, you will cross eleven mountain passes, and six of these will be over the Continental Divide. The highest point is at 12,183 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park. The route follows a few river valleys, but for the most part you will be either climbing or decending. Logistics In Colorado, high altitude services from campground water to grocery stores can shut down early in the autumn depending on weather. A water purifier is recommended. Due to high levels of tourist activity in the summer, reservations for accommodations and campgrounds are recommended. PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK FOR UPDATED ADDENDA BEFORE STARTING A TRIP!